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Book Review – Hold Her Again

04 Thursday Jan 2018

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Hold Her Again

by Shannon Stacey

A country-music star returns home to win back the woman he loves in this charming holiday novella from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey

Ava Wright isn’t happy to see her high school sweetheart rolling into their hometown a few weeks before Christmas. He’s only come back to bury his estranged father, but there’s no way she’ll be able to avoid him. No one can: he’s become a country-music superstar since going solo and leaving Ava behind.

Jace Morrow grew up believing “money can’t buy happiness” was something people said to make themselves feel better. But now he knows it’s the truth: no matter how many number-one hits he has, he’ll never recapture the magic of singing with Ava. Missing her—loving her—and living with making the wrong choice in life were what made him who he is.

When Jace is roped into being part of the town’s annual Christmas party, he only cares about earning Ava’s forgiveness. And though Ava’s heart has never healed, she loved Jace too much and for too long to shut him out when he’s hurting. As they fall in love all over again, they’re both faced with choices for their future…and this time Jace intends to make the right one.

I felt bad for both Jace and Ava, although I wanted to give Jace a little kick in the pants for waiting so long to come back.  Having his POV helped a lot because I don’t know that I would have been as quick to forgive him otherwise 🙂  Leaving Ava like he did, and staying away for so long, was a really crappy thing to do.  I know that he was young and I understand how his childhood turned him into that person, but 6 years is a long time and if he really felt the way he claimed he’d have manned up a bit earlier.  I get that he didn’t think that she’d have anything to do with him but he should have at least tried harder.  Good for him Ava’s a bit more tender hearted (or tender headed) than I am.  She does struggle a bit (as she should) but those old feelings that never really went away make it hard to fight him.  He will have to prove himself, and she’ll have to figure out how to let the past go, but they may just be able to work it out with a little luck and a whole lot of love.

With Hold Her Again Stacey delivers a wonderful second-chance romance, perfectly bringing the feeling of the holiday season.

Book Review – Flowers in Winter

29 Friday Dec 2017

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This is the first in this series that I’ve read but it won’t be the last.  Flowers in Winter is the perfect way to finish out 2017 on a happy note!

*****

Flowers in Winter

Hart of Rock and Roll Book 5

by Mary J. Williams

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

A HART OF ROCK AND ROLL HOLIDAY ROMANCE

Tula Carson knows what her future holds. A good life. A secure life. Safe. Steady. Boring.

She has no one to blame but herself. She chose the path she’s on. But, she wants something more. Something different. Now. Before it’s too late.

Fleet Sherman is a Rock God. And he isn’t afraid to enjoy the perks. Money. Fame. Beautiful women. As far as he’s concerned, his life is perfect. Until he meets smart, funny, talented, frustrating Tula Carson. The one woman he can’t resist. The only woman he can’t have.

On the surface, Tula and Fleet seem worlds apart. She grew up loved. He just wants to forget his childhood. She’s led a sheltered life. He’s experienced everything life had to offer. Yet, from their first meeting, they clicked.

Tula has a chance to fulfill her dreams. But the first step is always the hardest. Will she jump, or play it safe?

Fleet doesn’t believe he deserves a woman as good and sweet as Tula. For her sake, he has to let her go.

A love of music brought them together. Will their pasts tear them apart? Do they need a Christmas miracle? Or will they realize love is the greatest gift of all.

Grab this standalone book today.

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Tula’s heartbeat stuttered. Before she raced ahead, she had to make certain they were headed down the same road.

“You said you wanted me too much. What does too much mean?”

“I don’t want to hurt you. I sure as hell know I’m not good enough for you. I don’t take what isn’t freely offered. But make no mistake, I’m no saint. If you want me? Say. The. Words.”

The Irish in Fleet’s voice whispered across Tula’s skin like a warm summer’s breeze. He left the rest up to her. If she wanted the heated promise in his eyes, she had to be the one to jump.

Tula had come so far. She’d be a fool to turn back now. She didn’t hesitate. She said the words.

“I want you, Fleet Sherman.” Confident and a bit cocky, Tula tipped her head to one side. “Now, what are you going to do about it?”

*****

Review:

Tula is girl-next-door perfect but she’s reached a point where her life just isn’t making her happy.  So she enters the contest but never expects to win.  And when she does she freaks out!  It means coming clean to her family about how she no longer wants the future she’s been working towards and that just isn’t something she’s brave enough to do.

Luckily, Fleet isn’t the type to take no for an answer.  He comes busting in to Tula’s life with all of his charm and take-no-prisoners attitude.  Too bad for him she’s willing to give as good as she gets.  But they quickly realize that they have a connection and even though Fleet doesn’t think he’s relationship material … Tula may have him thinking otherwise 🙂

Williams delivers an absolutely awesome holiday romance!  Honestly, I just wish it was longer because these two together are a blast.  I’ll definitely be looking to see what this author delivers next.

*****

Author Info:

I love books, I always have and always will. Writing is an extension of that and though it has taken me a while to get here, I now can officially call myself a published author.

I grew up on a ranch in Eastern Washington, so I wanted to set my books on the Columbia River in Washington state. Harper Falls is completely fictitious, but I think anyone from the area will know right where it would be if it did exist.

My hobbies are gardening, reading, baking(fattening desserts are my favorite), exercise(I don’t love it, but it is necessary due to the desserts), and animals. I had a dog but when he died I couldn’t bring myself to replace him. That is why I wrote Edgar, the dog into “If I Loved You”, I consider him my surrogate puppy until I can get a real one.

I love to get feedback on my books so I hope everyone will feel free to leave a question or visit my website(it is a work in progress, but I’m getting there).

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

5 ebook copies of the first book in the series, Flowers on the Wall.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9507/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – Then Came You

28 Thursday Dec 2017

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Then Came You

Compass Cove series

by Jeannie Moon

Mia DeAngelis knew it was time to make a change. Wanting to provide a better life for herself and her ten-year-old nephew, Ben, she took a chance and moved to the small town of Compass Cove. Now, the college librarian is adapting to a new job, a new town, and living with her feisty seventy-eight-year-old grandmother. Mia is determined to make it all work, hoping the coastal hamlet gives both her and Ben the sense of community, family and belonging they both want so much.

Adam Miller, a retired NFL quarterback, has come back to Compass Cove to start over after an injury puts an end to his high-octane life. Settling into the small town routine proves to be a challenge, but his job coaching at Jennings College gives him a sense of purpose, while keeping him connected to the game he loves.

There couldn’t be two people more different, yet the minute they meet, friends and family have no doubt they belong together. Now if Mia and Adam can only get out or their own way and embrace a little home town magic, they can find the happy ever after they both crave…

Moon always does a fantastic job with her characters and the dynamics between them.  With Then Came You it isn’t just the love story between Mia and Adam that caught my attention but the connection to their friends and family.

Mia and Ben are so sweet together and you can just feel the love she has for him as a son.  She’s also got a wonderful grandmother who offers the support she needs to start building a great life in Compass Cover.  What she doesn’t have is a great mother.  And that negative relationship has done so much to color the way she sees herself that it causes a lot of the strain between her and Adam.

Not that Adam doesn’t screw up.  He’s never had to really work at his relationships before Mia and he stumbles pretty much right out of the starting block.  While he also has a wonderful, supportive family he has spent quite a few years being toadied to as a star athlete.  The kind of people he “dated” didn’t require a lot of care and it shows.  But luckily he’s got a mother and a grandmother who isn’t going to let him get away with it.  He eventually gets his head on straight and is able to win Mia back (although she doesn’t make it easy for him).

Then Came You delivers on the feels and growth and humor and charm!  Moon is a must read in contemporary romances for me.

Book Review – So Over You

26 Tuesday Dec 2017

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So Over You

Chicago Rebels #2

by Kate Meader

Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels…

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won silver at the Games, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then… let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice…

Meader delivers another wonderful romance and I couldn’t be happier.  There’s so much drama and bad feelings and it just leads to a great second chance – and not just for Vadim and Isobel!  I loved the Vadim has some issues he needs to address with his mother too and Meader makes sure that he does all of it with Russian-ness on full display.  And I just ADORED every Russian piece of him – so haughty and formal and sexy and confident.  It’s no wonder that Isobel finds him hard to resist even with the history between them.  He’s also difficult and closed off and commanding … also sexy but frustrating 🙂

Like with the first book in the series, there can only be trouble if anything happens between the two but the Chase sisters aren’t afraid to dance that line.  It makes things more complicated that she’s an owner and wants to be a coach while he’s her player but that isn’t their biggest issue.  They’ve got to put their pasts (both individually and as a couple) to rest before they can even think about looking at what the future could bring.   While there’s drama, Meader makes sure that things never get over-dramatic which I appreciate.  Instead she delivers a sexy, emotional, and humorous love story that had me captivated until the end.

(This is the second in a series and it can stand on its own but I think that it will be much more enjoyable if you have read Irresistible You.)

Book Review – Shiver

22 Friday Dec 2017

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Shiver

Texas Paranormals #2

by Christi Snow

A year ago Corey Abbott’s life entered the realm of the bizarre when he discovered the things that go bump in the night are real. But working for the local vampire council didn’t prepare him for were-deer shifters.

Nine months ago Dare Buckley’s herd abandoned him. Now, he’s slowly going mad from Lyme disease…something that doesn’t hurt normal deer, but for were-deer is fatal.

On one snowy, sleet-filled night, the two collided…literally.

This Christmas two men find love in the most unexpected place…a lonely, desolate highway.

It’s definitely not your typical meet-cute, but it’s a twist of fate that would even make Santa happy.

I personally think that you have to throw all thoughts on how things are supposed to be out the window when you read a paranormal story.  All of these worlds have their own rules and you just have to let them unfold for you as you go along.  And Snow’s Texas Paranormals is no different.  But that doesn’t mean that just because her world is not like ours that it isn’t interesting and fun.

Shiver is a novella so the time frame is compacted but because it involves weres there can be a good reason for the speed in which Corey and Dare get involved.  And while it is short it never felt rushed – instead Snow gives us an interesting world, appealing characters, and a satisfying story.  I really appreciated that because of its shorter length there was very little time for drama.  Instead we get an introduction to our two characters, details of their pasts, and a whole lot of the sexy before we get an enjoyable resolution to Dare’s medical issue (complete with a HEA).

(This is the first in the series that I’ve read but I don’t think it mattered.  It seemed to me that Snow does a great job of filling you in on what happened as it applied to Corey.)

Book Review – Only For You

20 Wednesday Dec 2017

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Who’s ready for a hunky soldier with a heart of gold???

*****

Only For You

Sugar Lake #2

by Melissa Foster

Blurb:

Love only works when your heart is in the right place. Hers could be right next door…

Single mom Bridgette Dalton doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses—not even in her own flower shop. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t noticed Bodhi Booker. Her ruggedly handsome next-door neighbor would be the perfect candidate for a no-strings fling. Having loved and lost, Bridgette’s not ready to hand over her heart…but she could use a distraction.

Bodhi has one rule: never leave anyone behind. As a special operative, he knows that each new mission is more dangerous than the last. He’s never made a promise of forever to a woman, not even to the beautiful widow who has him tied in knots. And if there were anyone who could tempt him into putting down roots, it would be Bridgette and her adorable son.

But as his next deployment nears, they make a startling discovery. Their passion, meant only for the here and now, might already be blossoming into something more…

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Paperback   Audiobook

This book is being published by Montlake (an Amazon imprint) and won’t be available on other ebook retailers, but you can download a FREE ereader app to read it HERE (or order the paperback)

*****

Review:

I loved getting to know Bridgette and Bodhi.  Foster really is talented so everything she does just keeps you glued to the pages.  Bodhi is a great guy – very honorable (and hot) and has a big heart (and hot) and has a lot of love to give (did I mention, hot?  Inside and out, people!)  He’s chosen to give up having a full life to protect others and he’s darn good at his job.  He has purpose and he’s dedicated to that purpose, without hesitation.  Until he meets Bridgette.

Bridgette is a wonderful single mom.  She was a wild child once but after the birth of her son and the death of her husband she did a little growing.  And maybe some suppressing too.  But meeting Bodhi helps her remember a bit more of the girl she used to be and to find a way to fit her into her life now.

I’ll be honest, though – I enjoyed the book but nearly as much as The Real Thing.  It’s a good setup and there is no denying that Foster has some serious skills as a writer.  Her characters are vivid and they feel so real.  It’s just that here it seemed like Bodhi and Bridgette’s story was just a bit too long.  Their only real issue is Bodhi’s job and his not wanting to leave anyone at home worrying about him.  Which is SO understandable … it just seems to go on a bit too long for me.

Without any other problems there isn’t anything else there to keep things moving so we keep coming back to the same thing – he can only give her now because he can’t promise he’ll be there tomorrow.  It’s difficult and emotional, and it lingers there waiting for us when his time with Bridgette is over.  I felt so bad for them and Foster’s resolution is pretty darn perfect, but it didn’t help with the sense of waiting for me.  Although maybe that is perfect too, because it gives you just a taste of what it was like Bridgette and Bodhi.

*****

Also available in Sugar Lake Series

The Real Thing (Sugar Lake Book 1)

Fall in love on the shores of Sugar Lake in the small town of Sweetwater with Willow Dalton and Zane Walker.

This sassy, spirited baker is fine with heat—but is her fake fiancé too hot to handle?

Bakery owner Willow Dalton’s friendship with Zane Walker has always been a bit complicated. Now a scrumptiously hot A-list actor, Zane’s always had a reputation as player. He’s arrogant, and he’s definitely not boyfriend material. Sure, he did Willow a favor by agreeing to take her virginity before college, but is that reason enough to go along with a fake engagement a decade later—even if it comes with a real diamond ring?

Zane should have known better. Nothing involving Willow has ever been easy. Still, he knows her better than anyone, and becoming America’s hottest new leading man means cleaning up his reputation. An “engagement” to curvy, sass-mouthed Willow is the perfect PR move . . . provided no one gets hurt.

Now Zane and Willow’s little white lie has turned into an irresistible recipe for sweet temptation. And soon no one will be able to tell the difference between their fake engagement or the real thing—including them.

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Paperback   Audiobook

This book is being published by Montlake (an Amazon imprint) and won’t be available on other ebook retailers, but you can download a FREE ereader app to read it HERE (or order the paperback)

*****

Author Info:

Melissa writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big-family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, Wild Boys and Bad Boys After Dark, and the Montgomerys. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented– perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues.

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole. 

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website.

Website   Facebook   Twitter    Google+   Goodreads   Pinterest   Amazon Author Page

*****

Giveaway:

Win Bad Boys After Dark: Mick ebook – 2 winners!
Ending on Friday 22nd December at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b25fc618381/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

I received this book through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

Book Review – Broken Honor

19 Tuesday Dec 2017

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Broken Honor

HORNET Book 3

by Tonya Burrows

Ice-cold and unbreakable, Travis Quinn is the HORNET team’s hard-ass. No weaknesses. Except, of course, for the accident that not only destroyed his career as a Navy SEAL, but left terrifying blanks in his memory. But Travis remembers everything about Mara Escareno—the curve of her lips, the feel of her body…and how he walked out on her suddenly six weeks ago.

Mara could never resist the dangerously sexy Travis, which is probably how she ended up pregnant and disowned by her family. But before Travis can fully process the news, Mara is kidnapped by his enemies and plunged into the violent, merciless world of human trafficking. They want Travis—and the information locked within his damaged memory—no matter the cost. And now Travis’s enemies have discovered his only weakness…Mara.

I have no idea how I missed this book – I didn’t even realize it until I sat down to read Code of Honor which is the next one in the series.  And I am super sorry it took me so long!  Burrows has always shown she knows how to deliver a satisfying mix of action, danger, and suspense with the emotional drama of a complicated love story and Broken Honor is no different.

Quinn has been trying to hide the effects of the accident that ended his career as a SEAL.  Years later and it is getting worse but he has nothing else except HORNET.  A horrible childhood with few bright spots followed by the things he’s done in his job has made connecting to people difficult for him.  He doesn’t feel himself to be a good enough for anyone … which makes his feelings for Mara even more complicated.  And, of course, he that means he took the cowards way out.

Travis may have left Mara after their week together but he’s not out of her life for good.  Finding herself pregnant with his child means that she has to contact him again … but bringing him back to her also brings his enemies.  Soon they find themselves fighting for their lives on foreign soil but the greatest danger is to their hearts.  Because while seeing Quinn in action brings home how dangerous he actually is, it also shows Mara the depth of his disregard for his own life – it’s not easy loving someone who doesn’t think they are lovable.  With time and patience, though, maybe she can show him differently.  If only they can make it out alive.

The questions over the who and what and why of Quinn’s accident come full circle here and we see some old enemies once again.  HORNET finds themselves in perilous situations with death waiting for them at every turn.  But with every battle we also get to see how much these guys mean to each other, how important the little family they’ve made with each other really is.  Full of white knuckle moments mixed with sniffles and laughs, Burrows continues to delivery enthralling military suspense romances.

(I think that the HORNET series is best enjoyed if you read all of the stories.  While they are mostly stand alones, there is flow from one book to the next with some of the characters and how consequences of past missions carry over.)

Book Review – Unexpected Christmas

18 Monday Dec 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Who’s looking for a sweet fast read (with a little emotional bite) this holiday season?

*****

Unexpected Christmas

by Nell Iris

Length: 13,527 words

Publisher: JMS Books

Blurb:

Daniel Erickson stormed out of his family celebration after choking on turkey served with a side of bigotry. Utterly miserable, he reluctantly lets himself be charmed by the hulk of a man and gets into the stranger’s car … hoping he won’t be axed before the night is through.

Axel Wilson — Ax for short, unfortunately — is a sweetheart. Really. He may be badass-looking but his heart melts into goo at the mere mention of his four-year-old niece. Surely he isn’t dangerous?

Thrown together by family drama, the two men spend the evening getting to know each other. Axel is nothing like Daniel expected. But it doesn’t matter that he loves poetry, is gentle and patient — and hot! — Daniel is absolutely not falling in love at first sight. There’s no such thing.

Right?

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS

*****

Excerpt:

A few minutes later, a vehicle approached from behind. Reacting instinctively, I turned around and waved my arms, hoping the big truck would stop and have mercy on my freezing ass.

I let out a giddy yelp as it slowed down, but it got stuck in my throat when the driver rolled down the window.

He was huge and couldn’t hold his head upright without banging it on the ceiling. Big steel gauges adorned both his ears — at least an inch and a half wide — and his hair was black and so closely cropped it resembled a five o’clock shadow more than an actual haircut.

“You need a ride?” he asked and his voice was deeper than the Mariana Trench, perfectly matching his frightening appearance. Black tattoos crept up his neck and snaked down his hands below his sleeves. His shoulders were wide, his muscles strained the sleeves of his thick black jacket, and his cheeks were hollow. I was one second from shitting myself.

“I’m not riding with a serial killer!” The words slipped out of my mouth and I groaned. I couldn’t have kept my mouth shut for five fucking seconds to avoid being chopped up and thrown to the wolves?

He threw his head back and let out a thunderous laugh.

“What’s so goddamned funny?” I glared at him, but he didn’t seem to care.

“I’m no serial killer.”

“And I’m just supposed to take your fucking word for it?” I raised an eyebrow. I knew I was being combative and taking out my frustration on this stranger, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“You could call my ma for references.”

“Ha ha. Very funny.” With a deep sigh, I resigned to my fate and started walking again. No way was I getting into a car with that mammoth of a man.

“Where you goin’?” he called after me. When I didn’t bother to answer, he eased off the break and let his truck crawl after me.

I swirled around. “Stop following me, you creep,” I hissed.

He let go of the steering wheel with one hand and held it up as if he surrendered. “Look, man. It’s freezin’. You’re wet and miserable. Get in the truck and lemme take you wherever you’re goin’.” His deep voice was surprisingly gentle. Non-threatening, as if he’d come to expect reactions like mine.

“I’m really not a bad guy.” He stuck out his lower lip in a pout that would have made a five-year-old girl green with envy and I had to bite my lip to stop a smile from erupting.

“Really?” I tried to hang on to my mistrust, but he made it hard. His appearance screamed RUN AND HIDE, but there was something soft in his eyes that told a different story.

He shot me a crooked smile. “It was worth a try. It works on my niece every time.”

The fucker knew all the right words to say to disarm me. “And how old is she?”

“Four.”

I huffed out a reluctant chuckle. “Well, you know how it is. Everyone always says how they couldn’t believe their neighbor was a serial killer because he seemed like such a nice guy.”

His eyes grew big and round. “You’re sayin’ you don’t trust my niece as a character witness?” He sounded as I’d just delivered the biggest insult of his life, but the amused glint in his eyes told me it was all for show.

“Can you blame me?”

“I guess not.” He sighed and grew serious. “Please. I couldn’t live with myself if I left you here to freeze to death.”

My body screamed at me to take him up on his offer. The ice pellets were relentless and I was soaked and gloomy and was starting to feel like maybe being ax murdered wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to me right now.

The openness in his posture and honesty in his eyes had me on the verge of caving. “You promise you won’t kill me?” I sounded like a scared little kid even to my own ears.

*****

Review:

I love the fact that while Daniel is out in the cold because of an argument with his bigoted uncle he quickly realizes that we are all guilty of judging a book by its cover after he meets Ax.  He assumes that big, muscled, tattooed guy has to be dangerous, but he quickly realizes that he’s more teddy bear than grizzly.  The interactions between them are humorous and fun and quickly turn into something a little more.  It’s a novella so things have to happen fast but Iris does a wonderful job of making the timing and flow feel natural.

I really wish there had been the opportunity for this to be a full-length story instead of a novella because I loved these two together so much … except I think to make it any longer Iris would have had to include some kind of conflict and that wouldn’t have fit with what we were given here.  So I guess I should just be happy with what I got.  And I am ecstatic with what I got 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along but let’s face it, she’s not Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a 40-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, where she spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her life long dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

*****

Giveaway:

Backlist Ebook From Nell Iris

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43285/

*****

December 16

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Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings  https://mirrigold.com/

Padme’s Library  https://padmeslibrary.blogspot.com/

The Way She Reads  http://helenasheat.blogspot.ie/

Sarandipity Book Reviews  https://sarandipitybookreviews.wordpress.com

My Fiction Nook  http://myfictionnook.com

My Book Filled Life  http://mybookfilledlife.blogspot.com

December 17

MJ’s Book Blog and Reviews  https://mjbookblogandreviews.blogspot.com/

Unquietly Me  http://unquietlyme.wordpress.com

Dog-Eared Daydreams  http://www.dogeareddaydreams.com

Boy Meets Boy Reviews  Boymeetsboyreviews.blogspot.com

MM Good Book Reviews  http://mmgoodbookreviews.com/

Louise Lyons  http://www.louiselyonsauthor.com

December 18

Zipper Rippers  http://zipperrippers.blogspot.co.uk/

Reading In Sarah’s Corner  http://readinginsarahscorner.blogspot.com

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog  http://abookloversdreambookblog.com

Bayou Book Junkie  http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com

Bonkers about books  http://felinewyvern.blogspot.co.uk

Becca the Bibliophile  Https://beccathebibliophile.com

Nicole’s Book Musings  http://nicolesbookmusings.blogspot.com/

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words  http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com

Book Lovers 4Ever  http://www.bl4ebookblog.com/

Urban Smoothie Read  http://www.urbansmoothie.com/

Romantic Reads and Such  https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

Wicked Reads  http://www.wickedreads.org

Book Review – Back Home at Firefly Lake

15 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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We’ve seen this series before with Summer on Firefly Lake and I’m super glad I signed up to read this one.  It’s got all the heartwarming, small-town goodness that you could ask for!

*****

Back Home at Firefly Lake

Firefly Lake #3

by Jen Gilroy

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Forever – Grand Central Publishing

Series: Firefly Lake

Print ISBN: 9781455569618

Digital ISBN: 9781455566938

Blurb:

She has a million reasons to leave. Can he give her the one she needs to stay?

Cat McGuire’s return to Firefly Lake is turning into much more than she bargained for. Sure, she missed the crisp pine-scented air and the comfort of having her family around her. But being home makes her feel less like the successful single mom she is–and more like the awkward teen who never fit in. It doesn’t help that hockey-pro Luc Simard is back in town, too. Luc was her childhood crush, the hometown hero who never noticed her, and yet somehow he still makes her heart skip a beat.

Luc’s homecoming has been bittersweet. He’s lost his wife and his career, but there’s no better place to start over than Firefly Lake. Coaching the local kids’ hockey team makes him feel alive again, and he thinks his life is complete–until Cat arrives. The shy girl he always wanted to protect is now the gorgeous woman who’s stealing his heart and making him believe in second chances. But how can he convince Cat that Firefly Lake is where she truly belongs?

Praise for Back Home at Firefly Lake:

“When these two broken souls come together, magic happens.” – Publishers Weekly

“Back Home at Firefly Lake is a charming small-town, second-chance story. With well-written and relatable characters, readers both new and old to the series will enjoy it.” – Harlequin Junkie

Now an Amazon Best Book of the Month!

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

 

*****

Excerpt:

Luc’s heart squeezed. [Cat] was embarrassed to ask her family for help, like he’d have been embarrassed asking his. Except, that would never be an issue because he had more money than he could spend in one lifetime. Money to finance the creamery expansion his dad had talked about for years, and to send his folks on that cruise they’d hankered after but could never afford because of the cost of raising four kids and putting most of them through college. Money for everything except what mattered most—taking care of his wife and their child like he’d planned.

“Pay for the hockey registration when your grant comes through.” He tried to smile. “I know you’re good for it.”

“Thanks.” Cat’s voice cracked and she took one hand away from her bag to rub it across her face. “Hockey means everything to Amy. I want her to be able to play, but she’s growing so fast right now.”

“Hockey’s an expensive sport.” He slid an arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. The same kind of friendly squeeze he’d given her all those times back in high school when she’d saved his butt in chemistry. Before today, however, his fingers had never tingled when he’d touched Cat. His body had never heated, either.

Cat started and pulled away at the same instant he did. “Hockey can be a dangerous sport too, and now Amy will be playing with boys. She hasn’t played with boys since she was seven. She could get hurt.

Like he had, hurt so bad it had ended his career. “Amy’s playing minor hockey. At her age, there is a rule about no body checking.” He tried to make his tone reassuring. “I promise I’ll keep a close eye on her.” It was his job as her coach, and he’d do the same for any kid. It had nothing to do with the strange and unexpected attraction he all of a sudden had for this woman he’d known his whole life, who he’d never really looked at until today.

A woman who wasn’t Maggie. Luc’s stomach clenched in a tangled lump of guilt and grief, tied tight with a slippery ribbon of disloyalty. Maggie was never coming back, but that didn’t mean Luc could forget her. Or that he wanted to.

Copyright © Back Home at Firefly Lake 2017 by Jen Gilroy

*****

Review:

There’s just something about small town romances that I love.  That feeling of community and family, with people that feel so real you just want to move there so you can be friends.  It’s that thing that made Gilmore Girls so darn appealing – and Gilroy captures it beautifully.  Her characters just come alive and you can’t help but feel for all of their ups and downs (and sometimes even more downs).

Luc is back after losing both his hockey career and his wife.  He’s going through the motions of getting back on his feet but he’s not really opening himself up for anything that could hurt him that much again.  Then he meets Cat … and she definitely brings all his feelings back alive.  He’s a man, though, and has to have a few “really?” moments but he’s carrying around a lot and so it’s to be expected.

Cat has come home but she’s not here to stay.  She’s got a temporary work assignment and thinks it best to get her daughter out of the city for a while.  And being near family is just what they both need.  But what she never thought she needed was Luc – having him nearby again puts all kinds of tempting thoughts into her head.  She just needs to come to terms with her own past first.

While I really like Cat and Luc, there were moments when I really didn’t get her daughter.  I can see what Gilroy was going for (and she is a hormonal preteen) but she’s all over the place and comes off as a petulant toddler more than once (… although that could be the teenager coming out too 🙂 ).  Usually the kid is a highlight in the book but here she just rubbed me wrong as often as I liked her.

But I definitely couldn’t have asked for more with the adults!  There is a lot of drama between the two of them but they also bring the feels.  Both of them are at a crossroads in their lives – they didn’t plan on being where they are and they need to figure out where they really want to go from here.  They’ve both had things in the past that they need to work on but if they do it right then they might find themselves in a place much better than they imagined.

If you love feel-good sweetness in your romances, Gilroy definitely delivers – lots of emotion, realistic, and just plain enjoyable.

(Although it is part of a series, it can easily stand on its own.)

*****

Other Books in the Firefly Lake Series:

The Cottage at Firefly Lake

Some mistakes can never be fixed and some secrets never forgiven … but some loves can never be forgotten.

Charlotte Gibbs wants nothing more than to put the past behind her, once and for all. Yet now that she’s back at Firefly Lake to sell her mother’s cottage, the overwhelming flood of memories reminds her of what she’s been missing. Sun-drenched days. Late-night kisses that still shake her to the core. The gentle breeze off the lake, the scent of pine in the air, and the promise of Sean’s touch on her skin…True, she got her dream job traveling the world. But at what cost?

Sean Carmichael still doesn’t know why Charlie disappeared that summer, but after eighteen years, a divorce, and a teenage son he loves more than anything in the world, he’s still not over her. All this time and her body still fits against his like a glove. She walked away once when he needed her the most. How can he convince her to stay now?

Praise for The Cottage at Firefly Lake:

“Gilroy’s debut contemporary is packed with potent emotions…[the] protagonists tug at the heartstrings from the beginning of the story and don’t let go. Long on charm, this story invites readers to come in and stay a while.” – Publishers Weekly

“Memories, regrets and second chances are front and center in Gilroy’s fantastic debut.” – RT Book Reviews

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Summer on Firefly Lake

Sometimes love is better the second time around.

Mia Gibbs spent her marriage putting her husband’s needs before her own. And now, after a painful divorce, she’s building a new life for herself and her two daughters back home at Firefly Lake. The last thing she needs is a man to complicate things. But former bad boy turned friend Nick McGuire—and the one kiss they’ve shared—has turned everything upside down.

Attorney Nick McGuire wasn’t meant to be a family man. His career has always been his focus, and after taking time out to help his mother, he’s ready to get back to the city…until Mia and her daughters arrive at Firefly Lake. Mia is beautiful and intriguing, and it doesn’t take long to realize being “just friends” will never be enough. As the summer nights turn colder, Nick will have to choose between the life he’s always wanted…and the woman he can’t live without.

Praise for SUMMER ON FIREFLY LAKE

“Has charm to spare… The delightful supporting cast and expertly plotted story add depth and richness to this tale, leaving readers eager for another visit to Firefly Lake.”—Publishers Weekly

“4 stars! Gilroy’s second Firefly Lake novel encapsulates the quaint, busybody small-town feel and the slippery slope of friends becoming lovers quite well… Engaging…[a] fast-paced page turner.”—RT Book Reviews

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

*****

Author Info:

Jen Gilroy lives in a small town in eastern Ontario, Canada where her Irish ancestors settled in the nineteenth century. She’s worked in higher education and international marketing but, after spending too much time in airports and away from her family, traded the 9-5 to write romantic women’s fiction to bring readers’ hearts home.

Jen likes ice cream, diners, vintage style and all things country. Her husband is her real-life romance hero, and her teen daughter teaches her to cherish the blessings in the everyday.

The Cottage at Firefly Lake, the first book in her Firefly Lake series, was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award in 2015. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award 2017.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

*****

Giveaway:

Jen is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of Back Home at Firefly Lake. Five (5) runner-up winners will receive a paperback copy of their choice from the Firefly Lake series! This giveaway is open internationally.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29455/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – Sweet Tea and Sympathy

14 Thursday Dec 2017

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Sweet Tea and Sympathy

Southern Eclectic series

by Molly Harper

Beloved author Molly Harper launches a brand-new contemporary romance series, Southern Eclectic, with this story of a big-city party planner who finds true love in a small Georgia town.

Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. (What, you have a problem with one-stop shopping?) Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair. And true to form in small Southern towns, family business becomes everybody’s business.

Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.

As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town’s most eligible gentleman. Will Margot reel in her handsome fish, or will she have to release her latest catch?

This is one of those books that is more women’s fiction than romance.  While Margot does end up with a HEA moment, a good portion of it is as much about finding a place to call home as it is a guy to share it with.

I love the fish out of water moments as Margot transitions from her life in upscale Chicago to small town living down South.  It’s definitely a different way of living but if she gives it a chance she might find her happy again.  With grit and spunk she shows those who don’t want to accept her that she might have tripped but she’s not going to go down without a fight.  It’s fun and entertaining and touching and did I say fun!  How can it not be with a combination bait shop and funeral home for the family business?